N.F.L. ROUNDUP; Demoting Two Starters, Giants Shake Up Defense

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Published: December 5, 2009

The struggling Giants continued to tinker with their defensive line on Friday, demoting the longtime starting end Osi Umenyiora and the starting tackle Fred Robbins to the second unit during practice.

Mathias Kiwanuka replaced Umenyiora and Chris Canty took Robbins's place on the first unit.

The Giants (6-5), who have lost five of their last six games, host the National Football Conference East division leader, Dallas (8-3), on Sunday.

If the changes remain in place, it will be the first time since 2004 that Umenyiora, a former Pro Bowler, did not start when healthy and the first time since 2007 that Robbins was a reserve.

Earlier in the week, Jonathan Goff replaced Chase Blackburn at middle linebacker on the first string.

Giants Coach Tom Coughlin was reluctant to address personnel changes.

''We will play everybody,'' Coughlin said. ''We will get everybody involved. We are trying to do the best we can in maneuvering our personnel according to our team. We preach team defense, so we are going to try to get other guys involved as much as we can and see if we can't solve some issues.''

Neither Umenyiora nor Robbins was available to the news media after practice Friday, but other members of the defensive line spoke of the changes.

''The coaches are the ones who are paid to make decisions,'' defensive end Justin Tuck said. ''We just have to go out and play. They're the ones who put us into position and if they think someone else is a better fit, then that's their opinion.''

The Giants' defensive line has been criticized throughout the season for not playing like the dominant unit that helped the team win the Super Bowl two years ago. While Tuck, Robbins and Canty have played through injuries, the unit has not come close to the expectations placed on it before the season.

''There's a lot of pressure on us every week,'' Tuck said. ''We know what people have said about our defensive line. But that shouldn't matter now. I like pressure. I like playing under pressure.''

Canty, who signed a six-year, $42 million contract with the Giants after playing four years with the Cowboys, said he was looking forward to facing his former team for the first time. He was injured when the teams played in September, a 33-31 Giants win in Dallas.

''It was pretty frustrating, because I wanted be out there to help my new team,'' Canty said.

Canty has played in only four games since returning from the calf injury, collecting five tackles.

''There's going to be something special about the game,'' Canty said. ''It's a divisional game. We just have to match their intensity.''

SEAHAWKS' JONES TO PLAY The Seahawks declared running back Julius Jones ready to start, recovered from the bruised lung that kept him out of Seattle's last two games.

The backup Justin Forsett, who had two 100-yard games in Jones's absence, was injured in practice and was listed as questionable with a quadriceps injury.

EAGLES' JACKSON OUT Wide receiver DeSean Jackson, who sustained a concussion last week against the Washington Redskins, was ruled out of Sunday's game against the Atlanta Falcons.

PHOTO: Giants defensive end Osi Umenyiora was one of two starters demoted on Friday. (PHOTOGRAPH BY BARTON SILVERMAN/THE NEW YORK TIMES)